Suzuki Lessons at K&S

Suzuki Piano

Students enrolled in Suzuki piano lessons also take monthly piano classes. These fifty-minute classes include games and activities to reinforce music theory and reading concepts, challenge older students to learn improvisation, and give each student a monthly opportunity to perform for fellow classmates and their families.

Suzuki piano lessons are an exciting time of discovery as a student begins to figure out for herself the pieces that have been listened to throughout the week. Students move at their own pace, and parents are actively involved in the lessons, taking notes, asking questions, and recording videos for use during the daily home practices. The truth that students take away from Suzuki piano lessons: "I can make music myself and it's fun!"

Our "Circle of Fifths" ferris wheel is used at the beginning of each lesson to learn scales and chords. As soon as students learn all of the Suzuki Book 1 right hand melodies by listening, they begin the Faber "Piano Adventures" series of music reading books. The two methods are studied concurrently throughout the students' Suzuki piano study.

Suzuki Violin

Music is learned the same way using the Suzuki method as children learn pieces by listening to music daily. There are three components of the Suzuki triangle which includes the parent, child and teacher. The parent and teacher work together to help a student develop technique and ability. The parent and teacher also serve as the child’s “cheerleader” and celebrate small steps that the child achieves.

With the Suzuki method, children can begin violin lessons as young as three as one of the main features of this method is delayed note reading. Many famous violinists such as Sarah Chang, William Preucil and others began studying the violin using the Suzuki method. Many of the great violinists of our time also began at an early age.

The parent serves as the home teacher when practicing at home with the child. Although some parents may feel uncomfortable in this role, they are able to correct their child’s technique (ie bow hold) as the teacher models what a good bow hold looks like in the lesson. It is advisable to have the same parent that practices with their child at home present at the lessons. In addition, it is the parent’s job to play daily recordings of the music the child is currently studying. I advise my student’s parents to play the entire book every day so their children will know what subsequent pieces sound like. Listening to more advanced people's of music serves as a great motivator for the child. The benefits of daily listening include increased sense of pitch acuity (recognizing when a note is too low or high), rhythm and dynamics (when to play loud and soft) as well as other musical nuances.

As the student advances through the Suzuki repertoire, they will require a longer lesson. A general rule of thumb is a 30 minute lesson for books one and two and 45 minute lessons for book three. Longer lessons will give the student the opportunity to work on double stops (playing two strings at once) and different bowing techniques (spiccato, sautille and ricochet which involve getting the bow off the string) as well as other advanced material. For books four and above, an hour lesson is needed.

Suzuki Guitar

Suzuki guitar method is an excellent and fun approach for starting your young child of 5 years old and up. Parent, student, and teacher work together at each lesson with concepts of rhythm, pitch, posture, and guitar technique. Listening is essential as the student is taught from the beginning, by rote, to play familiar melodies. Parent and child practice together daily at home, and enjoy repeatedly listening to music to be learned via a CD recording.